Men's Track and Field Hosts Shamrock Invitational This Week

HOME SWEET CCU TRACK: Coastal Carolina’s men’s and women’s track and field teams return to competition at the CCU Track for the Shamrock Invitational March 20-22, which will be both teams’ second of three home invitationals. Both teams hosted the CCU Invitational March 14-15 and will host the Chanticleer Classic April 12.

PERFORMANCE LIST AND FINAL SCHEDULE POSTED: The performance list and the final schedule for this weekend’s Shamrock Invitational has been posted to both the men’s and women’s track and field’s website on www.GoCCUSports.com.

MEN SLATED TO COMPETE: Head Coach Jeff Jacobs has entered 35 athletes in the Shamrock Invitational.

CHAMPIONS HIGHLIGHT SHAMROCK FIELD: In addition to the collegiate athletes, a national champion and a world champion will be competing at the Shamrock Invitational. Current CCU volunteer assistant coach and former standout Amber Campbell is a two-time USA Indoor National Champion in the weight throw will be competing in the hammer throw this weekend. Meanwhile, Bershawn Jackson was the 2005 World Outdoor Champion in the 400-meter hurdles with a time of 47.30. He is entered in the 800 meters and is on one of the GW Express 4x400-meter relay teams.

MEN RECORD 11 TOP-FIVE PERFORMANCES AT CCU INVITATIONAL: The Chanticleers had 11 top-five finishes at the CCU Invitational March 14-15. Among those top-five performances were first place finishes in the 110-meter hurdles (sophomore Jack Hutchison) and the 4x100-meter relay (redshirt senior Dee Stokes, freshman Ryan Edlich, junior Tyrone Murphy and sophomore Jerome St. Bernard) as well as the top collegiate finisher in the long jump (Edlich).

HUTCHISON WINS 110 HURDLES, RECLAIMS RECORD: Not only did sophomore Jack Hutchison claim the 110-meter hurdle title at the CCU Invitational with a time of 14.50, he also reclaimed the CCU program record. Hutchison’s former personal best time of 14.71 was CCU’s top 110-meter hurdle time until sophomore Ben Wheeler broke the record at Battle of the Beach IV March 2 with a time of 14.54.

WATSON TIES CCU HIGH JUMP MARK: With three meets under his belt, redshirt freshman Jacques Watson has tied Coastal’s high jump record. Watson cleared 6’8.75” (2.05m) at the CCU Invitational, which matched Jerome Simpson’s program record set in 2006.

MEN WIN FOUR AT BUCCANEER INVITATIONAL: The Chanticleers swept the relay events and won the shot put and the high jump at the Buccaneer Invitational Saturday, March 9. The 4x100-meter relay team of sophomore Ben Wheeler, freshman Ryan Edlich, junior Tyrone Murphy and sophomore Jerome St. Bernard clocked a winning time of 41.80. The winning 4x400-meter relay team of juniors Tyrone Murphy and Jarvarius Phelps, freshman Ross Graves and sophomore Jack Hutchison ran 3:20.60.
In the field, senior Jake Edelman claimed the shot put title with a season-best mark of 49’11.25” (15.22m). Redshirt freshman Jacques Watson came out on top in the high jump with a winning mark of 6’2” (1.88m).

CHANTS TAKE 1-2-3 IN THE SHOT PUT: Coastal Carolina swept the top three places in the shot put at the Buccaneer Invitational March 9. Senior Jake Edelman had a winning mark of 49’11.25” (15.22m), while redshirt junior Chris Abercrombie was second with a throw of 46’7.25” (14.20m). Redshirt senior Galen Jones rounded out the Chants in the event, taking third with a mark of 46’5.25” (14.15m).
CHANTS BACK-TO-BACK BATTLE OF THE BEACH CHAMPS: For the second consecutive year, Coastal Carolina has claimed the Battle of the Beach title over UNC Wilmington, defeating the Seahawks 108.5-96.5 at the CCU Track Sunday, March 2. CCU posted four NCAA Regional qualifying marks, broke two school records and won 11 events in the dual meet.

TALLAHASSEE BOUND: After the first meet of the season, four Chants have punched already their ticket to the NCAA East Regional Championships being held at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Fla., as redshirt senior Galen Jones (hammer throw), juniors Kyle Hoddy (javelin) and Tyrone Murphy (400m hurdles) and freshman Keith Graham (long jump) all met regional qualifying standards at Battle of the Beach.

MURPHY SETS NEW PROGRAM, MEET RECORD: Junior Tyrone Murphy broke his own 400-meter hurdle record at Battle of the Beach as well as set a new meet record. Murphy ran 52.17, which was .30 faster than his previous CCU record of 52.47 and 1.63 faster than the previous Battle of the Beach record of 53.80.

LEAPS AND BOUNDS: Freshman Keith Graham won both the long and triple jumps at Battle of the Beach, making him CCU’s only multiple event winner of the meet. Graham leapt 24’1” (7.34m) in the long jump, which matched the NCAA Regional standard and made him just the second Chant to jump at least 24-feet in the long jump. Graham concluded the day with a 46’1.5” (14.06m) mark in the triple jump, which ranks fifth all-time among Coastal’s leaders.

SIMPSON BECOMES FOURTH CHANT TO QUALIFY FOR NATIONALS: With a third place finish in the long jump at the 2007 NCAA East Regional Championships, Jerome Simpson became just the fourth Chanticleer to qualify for the NCAA Track and Field National Championships. Simpson leapt a school record 24’7.25” (7.50m) at Regionals.

JORDAN TAKES SIXTH AT REGIONALS:Competing in just his second meet of the season, redshirt senior Thomas Jordan launched a 221’7” (67.55m) throw in the javelin in order to place sixth at the NCAA East Regionals May 26, 2007. Jordan has competed in the javelin three times at the NCAA East Regionals and has placed no lower than 13th in those three years.

MEN FINISH SECOND AT NEW BALANCE BIG SOUTH CHAMPIONSHIPS: Coastal Carolina’s men’s track and field team took second place at the New Balance Big South Men’s Track and Field Championships held at Liberty’s Matthes-Hopkins Complex. The Chanticleers totaled 174 points and saw individual champions in Jerome Simpson (long jump) and redshirt senior Thomas Jordan (javelin).

CHANTS GO 1-2 IN JAVELIN: Redshirt senior Thomas Jordan and junior Kyle Hoddy finished first and second, respectively, at the 2007 New Balance Big South Track and Field Championships. The pair totaled 18 points in the event. Jordan threw 217’9” (66.38m), which set a new facility record at Liberty’s Matthes-Hopkins Track Complex.